Lukhan's Prophecy
by Ace Ryonik
Summary: Final Fantasy with a highly revised plot. Can't really think of another way to descrbe it.


(Final Fantasy obviously does not belong to me, but to the men and women associated with Squaresoft and its affiliates, so don't sue me. Wait a minute! Under the Free Copyright Protection Act of 1987, I can't be!)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The Light Warriors  
  
"How long has it been?"  
  
"It's been exactly one week, four days, and thirty-seven minutes, your majesty?"  
  
The King shifted in his seat, "Still no word from Garland?"  
  
"None, whatsoever, your majesty," The captain of the guard was looking to be restless. Since when had he become a messenger for the king? What's more, presenting him with such constant bad news must have been killing the king's opinion of him. "Your majesty, I understand the situation, but there are still more important matters at hand. Due to the unusual state of the soil, for instance, there won't be enough food for long. Importing food from Pravoka is still out of the question, due to the condition of the seawaters. The bridge to Pravoka as also been done in by the swift currents. We're completely isolated from the rest of the world, and not doing exceptionally well, ourselves."  
  
The king closed his eyes and, frustrated, he said, "Yes, I know, I know! The kingdom is falling apart. First our best soldier turns traitorous and kidnaps Sarah, and now it seems that the planet is deteriorating." He clutched a note in his palm. Ever since the ordeal started, he had not once let it from his grip. Lukhan, a scholar and Princess Sarah's tutor, left it for the King when he left the castle's employ, ten years ago.  
  
I am sorry to say it in this way, but I must resign from the castle. If it at all matters, I am leaving to seek the guidance of the crescent moon. You see, the sages there could very well point us in the direction of salvation.  
  
It seems like the peaceful state of the world won't last for much longer, but don't worry! I have a pretty good feeling that once the world does become veiled in darkness, someone will appear to help out. It is like I have told you: there must always be a balance to the world. When a great evil arises, eventually, so will a great light. The greater the darkness, the stronger is the light behind it.  
  
As one nears the light, so too does their shadow grow. That's why I need you to stay there and wait for these "light warriors". Light cannot conquer the darkness, so they'll need the help of those that reside in both.  
  
I have been writing for too long. I may miss my boat. Well, I have never excelled at farewells, so I'll just be off, then. Say goodbye to the princess for me.  
  
-Lukhan  
  
This message was all that kept hope in the heart of the kingdom of Corneria. While the King could not give them the full version of Lukhan's Prophecy out of fear for what its true meaning was, it still kept them going.  
  
"Your majesty, I have one more message," the captain continued, "It seems that four foreigners were arrested in the town, today. They were all wearing battle armor from Melmond. Considering that Melmond has been cut off from Corneria for years, the soldiers in town thought it best to be safe."  
  
". I wish that they had waited for my orders. Foreign affairs are a difficult subject."  
  
"Yes, sir. I only heard of this a small while ago. Should we send someone to interrogate them?"  
  
"No need. I shall go, myself. The last thing we need now is a war. Watch over the castle in my absence."  
  
"Yes, your majesty."  
  
***  
  
"This is just great! It was already hard enough, just getting here. The last thing we needed was to be arrested!" The captive kicked the cell door as hard as he could, "Dammit! They're just trying to piss me off, I know it!"  
  
One of his cellmates was slumped in the corner, a large hat shadowing his entire face, "Zio, we don't know anything about foreign law. Maybe we just- "  
  
"Oh, bullcrap, Rune!" Zio yelled, "And whaddaya think you're doing, just sitting there waiting for them to execute us? I may not have my weapons, but you can still get us out of here if you used some of your spells!"  
  
"Keep it down, Zio! I'm trying to sleep!" A man with long hair and a red cloak was lying on the cot in the corner of the room.  
  
"You're just as bad as he is, Kanôn! Listen, we can get out of here! I'll just provide a distraction, and."  
  
"That wouldn't be very heroic, now, would it?" Said the last man in the cell. He wore simple traveling clothes and had a fine build from training in hand-to-hand combat.  
  
"Come on, Rick!" Zio exclaimed, "Of all of us, I expected you to stand by me!"  
  
Kanôn turned over and said, "There's really no need to break out of here, Zio. They'll let us out, soon enough. Under the Foreign Rights Act, they have no right to detain us unless we have committed a crime on our home soil, or if we knowingly committed one here. In which case, we will be sent back to our country of origin for proper punishment. Since they can't send us back to Melmond with the rockslide blocking the canal on the way, they can't keep us, even if we committed a crime. Not that I'm suggesting anything of the sort, mind you."  
  
Rick laughed a bit and said "I knew we kept you around for a reason, Kanôn."  
  
"That, and I'm the only one here that knows hoe to heal your sorry asses after you've been beaten down by imps." Kanôn turned back over and continued, "Besides, only I can use the Inferno Trigger.'  
  
"But that's my point," Zio pleaded, "You haven't forgotten our mission, have you?"  
  
Rune raised his head, having just about had it with Zio's incessant nagging, "You're the only one that seems to have forgotten, Zio!" After a short pause, Rune quickly lowered his head and breathed out a short apology. Kanôn and Rick gazed at Zio intensely, waiting for him to realize his mistake. Zio turned away, and finally sat down. The two weren't necessarily satisfied with Zio's stubbornness to the matter, but at least now, he was quiet.  
  
After a while, footsteps could be heard nearing the cell where the four were being kept. Rune, having dozed off shortly, looked up to see a man in red, royal garments. Recognizing the king standing outside the cell, he clumsily tried to get up from his seat against the wall quickly, and fell into a kneeling position.  
  
Zio realized what was going on, got up, and said, "Rune, don't bother. You don't need to bow to him." This statement took everyone else in the area aback. Surely even Zio wouldn't say something like that! "This is probably a body double, anyway. Besides, that Lucky guy said he's supposed to help us."  
  
"I can assure you, you are in the presence of royalty," The king said flatly.  
  
Rick stood and said, "And his name wasn't Lucky, Zio."  
  
"How am I supposed to remember the guy's name? We saw him eight years ago! Let's see. Luke? Lance? Lenny?"  
  
Kanôn finally said, "His name was Lukahn!"  
  
The king first was annoyed at their short attention spans, but was surprised to hear Lukhan's name mentioned. "Wait! Do you know Lukhan!?  
  
Kanôn remarked, "It's a very common name."  
  
The king loosened his grip on the letter in his hand. "Oh, I see."  
  
Kanôn continued, ".But this is the same Lukhan that wrote that prophecy. That's why we're here." He rose from the cot and approached the king. "We're supposed to restore the crystals, and we can't very well do that in here."  
  
The king was split between his hopeful and his cynical sides. He eventually said, "How do I know that you're telling the truth? Everyone knows about Lukhan's Prophecy."  
  
The soldiers confiscated our belongings. Among them are four, colored gemstones. There should be a red one, a green one, a blue one, and a yellow one. If your majesty is well read, you will know what they are. Lukhan gave them to us eight years ago. If I were lying, we wouldn't have them.  
  
The king was swelling with joy, though he was not allowing himself to show it. "Alright, how is this? The public is not aware of this, but my daughter, the princess of Corneria, was kidnapped and taken to the Temple of Chaos, which is northwest of this castle. If you truly are Lukhan's light warriors, you should be able to defeat Garland and rescue her without much of a problem. The castle will supply you with 400 gil for supplies. If you choose not to abide by this, then you will be captured and executed for breaking out of prison, and the people will never know of this. Should you manage to succeed, I will help you on your quest be rebuilding the bridge to Pravoka, and arrange for you to get a ship."  
  
Zio remarked, "It doesn't really sound like we have much of a choice, does it?"  
  
Rune stood up and said, "If that's what has to be done, then. I'll try."  
  
"This shouldn't be much of a problem. Consider this practice," Rick added.  
  
"You already know what I'm going to say," began Kanôn, "but if we can't do this, then there's no hope of us saving the entire planet. We'll do it."  
  
The king opened the lock on the cell door and said, "Then it's settled. Be warned, Garland may be a rogue, but he was once the head of Corneria's knights. Use caution when dealing with him."  
  
That was how it started. The light warriors were assembled, and prepared to march on to the Temple of Chaos, where Garland kept Princess Sara. This would come to be known as the beginning of the legend of the light warriors- the planet's final fantasy. 


End file.
